Lippert Frame Failures

[24tucson]

I have a 37 ft 2005 Keystone Copper Canyon Sprinter. The part of the trailer frame that the pin box bolts to is breaking away from the rest of the trailer frame. The frame is manufactured by Lippert. We noticed a buckle in the floor of the end cap wardrobe closet after returning home from a trip. In looking for the source of the problem, I shined a light up into the area where the pin box is attached to the frame and saw that 4 welds, each about 4 inches long, were broken. Obviously a very serious problem. I searched the forum for similar incidences of this occurring. I was hoping to find some information on what other 5er owners did to address the problem.

What I found, much to my dismay, is bickering among posters about the possible cause, bumpy highways, etc, etc. The real cause is poor design, engineering and/or workmanship.

This is a major safety hazard! In searching various forums, I found bits and pieces of information but it's difficult to pull all the info together. I believe this problem may be larger than meets the eye. How many people shine a light up into the pin box area (if you can even get at it) and inspect the welds?

Anybody got any suggestions?

[Mile_High]

chrizg wrote:
Our Big County was just repaired for this issue. We had to get it to the factory, but other than that cost(transporter reload) there was no charge. Front of the camper looked like new. I had side wall movement from the frame flex and had cracks and delam on the top corners of the bed slide.

now that's a good manufacturer warranty.

[chrizg]

Our Big County was just repaired for this issue. We had to get it to the factory, but other than that cost(transporter reload) there was no charge. Front of the camper looked like new. I had side wall movement from the frame flex and had cracks and delam on the top corners of the bed slide.

[Mile_High]

Allworth wrote:
Gee, that isn't the way the Redwood dealer explained appliance warranties to me!

Yes, and Dealers are a wealth of knowledge and are always consistent in their tales :R

[Mile_High]

I don't think I've heard of a Lippert frame issue for quite a while. They were awful back in 2000-2006. The homogenized 12" I beam Z frame seems to be pretty standard now, with the tucked radius front, and I haven't heard of any broken welds.

[bbaker2001]

funny, while visiting 6 different RV dealers I asked the repair dept. about lippert frame issues, not one said they had ever heard of an issue.

[Allworth]

Gee, that isn't the way the Redwood dealer explained appliance warranties to me!

P.S. I thought from the title that this was about frames!

[mileshuff]

Mile High wrote:
All I said was our group was getting plagued by Lippert denials to the manufacture, and the manufacture (in our case) has to decide if they are going to pick the warranty or pass on the denial. (We happen to have a manufacturer warranty - not a cluster of supplier warranties like you describe)

Yours took a call from LCI Management to get it done and you call it hassle free. I call that a hassle, and something is real wrong if management has to get involved in a brake warranty, but you got your way so they gained your favor for a while, so be it............

Your RV's manufacture covers ALL items on your RV directly so you nor your dealer ever deal with Lippert, Norcold, Dometic, Atwood etc. for any issues with any of those items? They deal only with the RV manufacture? If so that would be the great exception and NOT the rule in the RV industry.

I repeat one more time. It did not take special intervention from a Lippert manager, thats just who Winnebago and my dealer contact directly. There was never any denial where a claim had to be escalated. It was great that with Lippert no such drawn out process was necessary. Its easy to get ahold of the right people the first time.

You are forgetting that 80%+ or so of RV's on the road have Lippert frames so of course you're going to see the most issues. But there have been frame issues with other manufactures as well, including top brands such as Northwood (saw horrible welds on an Arctic Fox).

[Mile_High]

mileshuff wrote:

Mile High wrote:
Well you are generalizing and that's your perception so I won't try to change it. Maybe Winnebago leaves the Dealers to fend for themselves, but not all manufacturer/Dealer arrangements are that way.

Not generalizing! For the most part RV manufactures do not warrant major components such as frames, heaters, AC units, awnings and so on. Their respective manufacturer does.

I repeat, Winnebago, Lippert and the dealer worked together with ease to resolve my issues. All stepped up including Lippert who is the subject here. Why do you have trouble with that? Or are you just surprised when things work without hassle?

All I said was our group was getting plagued by Lippert denials to the manufacture, and the manufacture (in our case) has to decide if they are going to pick the warranty or pass on the denial. (We happen to have a manufacturer warranty - not a cluster of supplier warranties like you describe)

Yours took a call from LCI Management to get it done and you call it hassle free. I call that a hassle, and something is real wrong if management has to get involved in a brake warranty, but you got your way so they gained your favor for a while, so be it............

[mileshuff]

Mile High wrote:
Well you are generalizing and that's your perception so I won't try to change it. Maybe Winnebago leaves the Dealers to fend for themselves, but not all manufacturer/Dealer arrangements are that way.

Not generalizing! For the most part RV manufactures do not warrant major components such as frames, heaters, AC units, awnings and so on. Their respective manufacturer does.

I repeat, Winnebago, Lippert and the dealer worked together with ease to resolve my issues. All stepped up including Lippert who is the subject here. Why do you have trouble with that? Or are you just surprised when things work without hassle?

[Mile_High]

mileshuff wrote:

Mile High wrote:
I guess it's all in a perception of what you believe to be a hassle. Just the fact a Manager from Lippert had to reach out to you is already a hassle - your dealing with the Dealer should be your only commitment.

Not really true in many cases with RV's. Your analogy to a truck isn't accurate. With a automobile, generally everything is warranted by the manufacture be it Ford, Chevy, Dodge etc. The dealers are contracted to work directly with the manufacture for warranty work regardless of the which company actually made the part(s) in question.

This isn't so with RV's and the warranties for most RV components isn't thru the RV manufacture but rather the specific component manufacture. The dealer generally does not have any agreement with a frame manufacture for instance. Theres no contractual agreement to provide service, get reimbursed for work etc. Furthermore, the dealer I took it to was NOT the dealer I purchased the RV from. Yet, I was taken care of quite well and Lippert stepped up.

Well you are generalizing and that's your perception so I won't try to change it. Maybe Winnebago leaves the Dealers to fend for themselves, but not all manufacturer/Dealer arrangements are that way.

[bbaker2001]

so sorry posted to this link
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28554576/gotomsg/28566614.cfm#28566614
I just copied and pasted and it took me to our site.
thanks again.

[Bellpr]

bbaker2001 wrote:
hello again. would like to know if anyone has looked at my posted pics and if it looks like a frame issue or not. it is out of warranty and I do not think lippert will even talk to me. we are just wanting to know if it looks like it could be a real issue before we buy.
thank you.
but I do think they should be held responsible for any frame tearing if it was not completely welded correctly.

did not see any pics in this thread. BBaker2001, did you post them in another one?

[gkainz]

bbaker2001 wrote:
hello again. would like to know if anyone has looked at my posted pics and if it looks like a frame issue or not. it is out of warranty and I do not think lippert will even talk to me. we are just wanting to know if it looks like it could be a real issue before we buy.
thank you.
but I do think they should be held responsible for any frame tearing if it was not completely welded correctly.

Where did you post pics? I scrolled back thru this thread and don't see any pictures or links posted by you...

[Tiger8r]

Friend of mine had same problem, fixed by having welder add brackets and re weld frame. Most of his problem was overloaded with extra tools and hardware store. The bouncing on rough roads do have an effect.

[Bellpr]

larry barnhart wrote:
We have an inbed fuel tank and can see the welds on the tank very easy and to me they look like an artist did the work. I looked at a new big fifth at our rv park that was on display with others to sell. The welds that I could see under the fifth did not look like a welder did the work. Of course I am not a welder but looks would make me wonder if I wanted to buy that fifth.

chevman

I don't see any photos in this thread, did you post them in a different one? sorry, I picked the wrong reply to quote. I'll pick the correct one and try again.